BAKED OATMEAL

I love oatmeal.  Its my go to breakfast many mornings.  Its so healthy for alot of things that ail you, so why not eat it?  I have especially become really fond of steel cut oats but not fond of how long it takes to cook.  This recipe is made with old fashioned oats which bakes up nicely and has a little higher nutritional value then quick oats.  I also use fresh made applesauce but you can use jarred.  I bake up a pan for the week, cut it in squares and store it in the fridge.  Its easy to pop a few squares in the microwave, add almond milk or Greek yogurt and berry's for an awesome, healthy start to your day.

 

3 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cook oats)

1/2 cup honey or agave nectar

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup egg beaters

3 tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce ( I made my own and left it chunky)

2 tsp vanilla

   Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.  Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and mix well by hand.  pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.  Keep refrigerated.

 



A SMALL MESSAGE AND A NEW RECIPE

Wow, cant believe its been this long since I posted! Alot of things have been going on since March.  My husband and I decided to start jogging as a good form of exercise and do some 5k runs.  everything was going great...we lost weight and ate clean....until..........

If you guessed stress fracture you'd be right!  I had already worked myself up to 5 mile runs and felt awesome, guess parts of my body didn't agree.  Its very slow healing and will be a few weeks yet with the boot on. 

I have gotten my husband to try a lot of different foods and he cant believe he has never eaten them before.  Vegetables of any kind were not one of his favorites and now he cant wait to see which ones we are having every night for supper.  Kale has become one of our staples, and we did try making kale chips but really weren't crazy about them.

We have tried new grains...bulgur wheat, wheat berries, quinoa, and my favorite for breakfast is steel cut oats with greek yogurt and berries.  We also eat alot of beans.  I cant believe the meals you can make out of different types of beans. 

I haven't been able to do much gardening since my injury but I did have a small garden with an abundance of tomatoes, beets, beans, different types of squash and lettuce which really made some tasty new meals for us.  The season was quite dry so the crops weren't that great in the beginning but the later crops and some extra watering seems to help. 

 

With all that said and the reason for such slackness, Ill leave you with a great recipe I come up with to use up some mushrooms and some pinot noir ( which I just couldn't drink...too acidic for me )  Since I do alot of crock pot cooking I adapted it for that too!

 

SEARED CHICKEN WITH WINE-FRUIT SAUCE

 

 

 

6 chicken breasts( I subed a few thighs )

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, diced

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp evoo

2 cups pinot noir

1/2 cup cherry preserves( I used polaner all fruit )

1 cup water

1/2 tsp orange zest

salt and pepper

olive oil cooking spray

 

Spray crock pot with cooking spray and turn on to low.  Spray a medium saute pan with spray and add 1/2 tbsp of evoo, heat on medium high.  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side and sear for 2 minutes on each side ( do a few pieces at a time ).  When all the chicken is seared, add to warm crock pot.

 

Saute onions in the last 1/2 tbsp of evoo ( also spray pan again ) for 2 minutes on medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper lightly.  Saute another 2 minutes and add minced garlic and wine, stirring to bring up bits from the bottom of the pan.  Stir in the preserves.  Remove from heat and pour over chicken in the crock pot.  Cook for 8 hours.

 

I served this over butternut squash mash with a side of fresh asparagus

 





VEGAN MAYO

My husband and I have been really concentrating on a healthy life style this year.  With this comes different ways of cooking and trying many different foods.  I had made a dill dip out of tofu and fresh dried dill from the garden (from last years crop ) and it was great.  I figured it couldn't be too hard to come up with a good dressing that tasted like mayo just by using some of the ingredients that go into mayo and subbing tofu for a few others.  My husband whined, "I'm not eating anything with tofu in it" until I got him to take a little taste...he loved it!

• 1 block tofu, extra firm
• 4 tbsp soy milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 11/2 tbsp agave nectar
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt

Add all ingredients to the blender and process until well blended.  check for seasoning and add if needed.



ITALIAN CHICKEN MEATBALL SOUP

Meals in our house have become pretty healthified.  As we get older we realize that eating healthy and cutting out preservatives can make you feel energized and not as sluggish. This recipe uses ground chicken breast( which I ground myself ) and healthy vegetables for a great filling meal that keeps us feeling satisfied  and not craving a fat filled alternative.  These meatball also make a great meat balls and spaghetti dinner.

• 1/2# ground chicken breasts
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1/8 cup egg beaters
• 3 tbsp panko bread crumbs

Start a medium pan of water boiling on the stove.  Mix all the meatball ingredients together.  Roll into 1 inch meat balls and drop into boiling water for 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cups kale, torn in small pieces
• 1/4 cup quick cook barley
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large kettle heat on medium the 1 tbsp olive oil.  Add the diced celery, carrots and onions, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and barley, and bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the chicken meatballs and kale and simmer  minute.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.



BALSAMIC CHICKEN

I found this recipe in the cleaning eating magazine I receive monthly and had to share it. It a easy healthy recipe and a quickie to make if you have chicken breast you need to use.  The only thing my husband said we should change is to add mushrooms....We love them!  Sorry, I forgot to picture this great dish, we were just too hungry.

 

• 1# boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

In a large non stick skillet heat oil on medium.  Add onions and saute 5 minutes.  Add chicken, vinegar, thyme and salt and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, until thickest piece of chicken is cooked threw and vinegar has caramelized on the chicken.  If there isn't enough of the juices in the pan add 1/4 cup chicken broth.  Once plated, drizzle with pan juices.  Good served with brown rice and a green salad.

BLT PASTA.

I found a version of this recipe in a fancy cooking magazine and figured there had to be a lot easier, healthier way to make it.  Here's my attempt, and I got to say...It was great!

Brown 6 strips of bacon until almost crisp, then add 1 tbsp minced garlic and cook 1 minute longer

Cook 6 oz of whole wheat pasta

Drain bacon on a paper towel and set aside

You will also need 1 cup grape tomatoes and 6 or more leaves of red leaf lettuce washed and dried and 1/3 cup chopped onions

Caramelize the tomatoes and onions in 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp brown sugar

After the tomatoes and onions have caramelized, add the crisp bacon, 1/4 tsp thyme leaf(dried) 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy) and 1 cup beef broth.  Simmer on medium until reduced by half.  Turn off heat and add lettuce leaves cut in pieces and the cooked whole wheat pasta 

Toss together

We served ours with steamed green beans and blue cheese garlic bread

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon, diced and fried till crisp
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 6 lrg leaves red leaf lettuce, washed and dryed
• 6 oz boiled whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaf
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

COTTAGE CHEESE DUMPLINGS

These are really good in soup or stew.  The cottage cheese makes them more healthy along with the 10 grain flour.  I used Bobs Red Mill 10 grain flour but all purpose flour can be used.

• 3 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg beaters
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 cup 10 grain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl beat the eggs and cottage cheese together.  Stir in the water and salt.  Mix in the 10 grain flour.  Drop dumplings off of a tbsp into soup or stew that is boiling.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Check doneness with a toothpick.